Curtain hook and installation



May 25,y 1943.

J. Z. SILVERMAN CURTAIN HOOK AND INSTALLATION Filed Aug. 25,1941

|Nv ENToR Jacob Z 51] Verman BY' T oRNEY Patented May 25, 1943 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE CURTAIN HOK AND INSTALLATION Jacob vT. Silverman, Brooklyn, N. Y.

application August 23, 1941, Serial No. 408,103

(Cl. 1li-87.2)

14 Claims.

This invention relates to shower curtain supports and particularly to the hooks by which the curtain is movably and removably suspended.

My invention contemplates the provision of a bifurcated exible curtain hook having one branch provided with means adapted to pass through the curtain grommet and terminating in a separable snap fastener element, said element being adapted to pass through and engage a separable snap fastener element provided in the other branch, and thereby to hold the parts of the curtain hook in place and also to prevent unintentional detachment of the grommet from the hook. y

My invention further contemplates the provision of a simple and inexpensive shower curtain hook which is adapted to be made of a variety of suitable materials such as plastics, metals or the like, and which is provided with means for concealing the grommet of the shower curtain, the curtain hook being ilexible, and snap fastener means being provided on the hook to secure it detachably to the grommet.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a shower curtain installation including a slotted hollow rod and a hook having a head arranged in the interior of the rod and slidable thereon. the remainder of the hook being comparatively inconspicuous, and being provided with snap fastener means to secure it to the shower curtain grommet.

My invention further contemplates the provision of a curtain installation including a rod and detachable and slidable curtain engaging means provided With separable snap fastener elements designed separably to hold the parts of the hook and the curtain together and thereby prevent accidental detachment of the curtain.

My invention further contemplates the provision of a curtain hook having a pair of legs each carrying an element of a separable snap fastener, the legs being joined by a flexible portion so that the hook may be passed about a curtain rod by disengaging the fastening means, and spreading the legs.

The various objects of 'the invention will be clear from the description which follows and from the drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation oi one form of my improved curtain hool: showing the curtain sus pended thereby, the supporting rod being shown in cross-section. l

Fig. 2 is a front elevation and partial longitudinal section of the same.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the lower grommet-concealing and engaging end of the curtain hook taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1 and showing particularly the snap fastening means thereon made in one piece with the remainder of the hook.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section of a modiied form of the same, showing the grommet engaging bar as a separate piece secured in pla-ce.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation and partial section of a modied form of the hook adapted for use with an unslotted rod.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of another modified form of my improved hook, as when made of metal.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the lower end portion of the hook shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of another modied form of the hook wherein only one leg is provided and the snap fastener stud snaps into the grommet directly.

In the practical embodiment of the invention shown by way of example, and referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the supporting rod I5 is shown as hollow and provided with a longitudinal slot I6 throughout its lowermost part. The edge portions of the rod adjacent the slot I6 are enlarged to form the respective inwardly projecting rails I'I and I8 adapted to enter the respective recesses I9, 20 of the T-shaped head 2I forming the uppermost part of the removable curtain hook I4. The extremities 22, 23 of the T-head are widened and enter the recesses 24, 25 respectively on each side of the rails I'I, I8 to prevent accidental displacement thereof from the rails.

It will be seen that the head 2| of the curtain rod may readily slide along the rails Il, I8 when it is desired to open or close the curtain carried by the hook, and that the hook may readily be inserted into the rod and removed therefrom. To remove the hook, it is given a right angle turn to arrange the extremities 22, 23 of the head 2| in alignment with and above the slot I6, whereafter the hook may readily be dropped through the slot. To insert the hook into place, the operation is reversed. It will further be understood that the rod I5 may be made of any suitable material such as plastic material or metal or the like. When made of plastic, the rod may be formed in one piece, if desired, by extrusion or other methods and integrally provided with the enlarged rails II and I8 separated by the slot I6.

The curtain'hook I4 is bifurcated to form the legs or branches 26, 21, the lower end of each leg being enlarged into substantially circular form to provide the opposed grommet-concealthe hook is presented to view.

ing discs 28, 29. Each of said discs is of suiiicient diameter to conceal the curtain grommet 3U which is secured to the curtain 3| and through the opening of which passes the grommet bar 32 to suspend the curtain from the curtain hook and rod. As shown in Fig. 3, the bar 32 may be cast or molded integrally with the disc 29 and the leg 21. Or as shown in Fig. 4, the grcmmet bar may be formed of a separate piece 33 cemented or otherwise secured in the hole 35 of the disc 36 and provided with a head 34 engaging and secured to the outer face of the disc 36. Whether the grommet bar is of integral construction with the discs or of separate construction, it nevertheless terminates in a stud 31 provided with the slot 33 therein to make said stud resilient. A corresponding hole 39 is provided in the disc 28, said hole being of slightly less diameter than the greatest diameter of the stud 31 to serve as a snap fastener socket, whereby when said stud is forced through the hole, the slot 38 permits the two halves of the stud to move slightly toward each other under the pressure thereon by the walls of the socket hole. As the stud passes through and emerges from the hole 39 and pressure thereon is released, the parts of the stud are released from the compressing action of the walls of the hole 39 and separate wit-h a snap action to arrange the reduced stud neck 4|) in the hole or socket. The legs 2S and 21 of the curtain rod are thereby held together regardless of any tendency which they might otherwise have to separate as may occur when the grommet bar is molded integrally with one leg and the other consequently molded in a position transversely separated from the bar and from the first-mentioned leg, The curtain 3| may readily be removed by pressing the stud 31 back through its socket or hole 39, then spreading the legs and 21 apart and slipping the grommet off the grommet bar over the freed end thereof.

To mount the hooks i4 in place, the heads 2| thereof are inserted through the slot l5 and the hook then given a one-quarter turn to carry the end projections 22, 23 thereof into the recesses 24, 25 beyond the rails |1, I8 of the rod l5. It will be seen that the curtain hooks slide easily along said rails when the curtain is moved to an open or closed position and that by reason of the head of the hook being concealed within the rod, only a comparatively small portion of It will further be understood that the discs 28 and 29 conceal both sides of the grommet 3!) on the curtain 3|, and that a projection 4| may be formed on the disc 25 corresponding in size and shape to that of the stud 31 and thereby to present the same appearance on both sides of the curtain hook. It will further be seen that by making the hook of suitable plastic material to match the curtain rod, any desired color scheme in the bathroom may be carried out. Finally, it will be seen that the snap fastener action of the stud 31 in its socket or hole 39 adequately prevents the grommet from accidentally or unintentionally falling off the grommet bar 32 and prevents the'two legs 2S, 21 of the curtain rod from spreading apart to accidentally release the curtain.

As shown in Fig. 5, the T-shaped head 2| of the hook may be replaced by the connecting portion 4.2 connecting the legs 43 and 44 and designed to slide on'the outside top part of the rod 45. To mount this form of the hook on the rod, the legs are spread transversely or twisted or both suiiiciently to provide a space therebetween large enough for the passage of the rod 45. The hook is then passed downwardly over the rod and released. The stud 31 is passed through the curtain grommet and snapped into itssocket 35 in the manner hereinbefore explained. The rod 45 may be made of any suitable material and need not be formed with any slot or rails to carry hooks of the form of Fig. 5, since the hooks slide thereon in the usual manner.

Referring to that form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and '7, the legs 50 and 5| of the curtain hook 52 are joined by the connecting part 53 adapted to ride on the upper part of the curtain rod 54 in much the usual manner in which hooks are arranged on such rods and as explained in connection with Fig. 5. At the lower ends of the legs 55 and 5l, however, are provided the respective discs 55, 55, the former `being provided with the socket opening 51 and the latter having the stud bar 58. Said stud bar being similar to the bars 32 and 33 herein- .before described, no further description thereof is deemed necessary, except to say that it preferably terminates in a resilient stud, though if the socket hole 51 is made resilient, the stud need not be resilient. It will be understood that the curtain hook 52 may also be made of either plastic material or metal as may be found desirable and in one piece or in separate pieces secured together. It will further be understood that the hook may be made in a variety of shapes and molded either with the discs 55 and 55 separated as shown or with a hole as 35 in the disc 56. In the latter case, the discs 55 and 55 would be quite close together in their normal positions and would have a tendency to spring together. In the case where the hook 52 is made of metal, the disc at the lower end of each of the legs may be secured thereto by any suitable means such as brazing, welding, solder, or the like. The stud E2 may be provided with a pair of intersecting slots E3, 54 similar to the slots of the stud 31 if the stud is to be resilient.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 8, the hook 59 of plastic material or of metal is mounted for sliding movement on the rod 45. Said hook is of the open type having a portion 4G partly surrounding the rod and being suiiiciently exible to permit transversedistortion of the hook for mounting on said rod. The leg 41 of the hook terminates in the grommet-concealing disc 48 which carries the resilient stud 49 joined to the disc by the constricted neck 59. The stud head 49 is of the requisite diameter for forcible passage through the hole 60 in the grommet 30, said hole thereby serving as a socket for the stud. In this form of the invention, the second leg, its disc and socket hole are omitted and the stud is used directly with the grommet to form a cooperating separable snap fastener therewith, being suitably proportioned for that purpose. Preferably, the hook is mounted on the rod 45 with the disc 43 in front of and concealing the grommet 30, the parts being readily assembled by simple direct pressure by pushing the stud 49 through the hole Gil of the grommet in one direction, and readily detachable by pushing the stud through the socket hole in the other direc tien.

It will be seen from the above that I have provided a shower curtain installation consisting of a plastic or metallic curtain hook and rod designed to cooperate with each other for sliding movementl of the hook and to separably engage the grommet of the curtain by means of a snap fastener construction, the curtain hook separably engaging the rod by meansl of a T and slot connection or by riding on the upper surface of the rod.

While I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, but intend to claim my invention as broadly as may be permitted by the state of the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A curtain hook having a portion adapted to slide on a rod and terminating on at least one end thereof in a grommet-concealing disc, and a resilient stud member having a head and a neck projecting axially from the disc and adapted to pass through the hole of a curtain grommet to suspend the grommet therefrom.

2. In a curtain hook, a rod-engaging part adapted to slidably engage a curtain rod, a grommet-concealing part depending from the rod-engaging part and terminating in an enlarged concealing portion, and a resilient stud carried by said portion and projecting therefrom.

3. In a shower curtain installation, a curtain, a grommet having a hole therein at the upper `edge of the curtain, a curtain hook having a rodengaging part and a grommet-concealing and engaging part, the second mentioned part including a resilient stud adapted to be 'forced through the hole of the grommet to form a separable snap fastener connection therewith.

4. In a curtain hook, means for slidably suspending the hook from a curtain rod, and a grommet-engaging part depending from said means and comprising a resilient stud having a slotted head and a reduced neck, said head being adapted for separable snap-fastener engagement with the wall surrounding the hole of a curtain grommet or other member provided with a hole.

5. A curtain hook for a shower curtain provided with a grommet, said hook having a pair of spaced separable grommet-concealing members arranged on opposite sides of the grommet, a stud member having a resilient head projecting from one of said members and adapted to pass through the grommet and through the other of the members, said other member having a socket opening therein for the forcible passage of the stud head therethrough, and an extension from said members flexibly joining said members and adapted to hang slidably on a curtain rod.

6. A bifurcated curtain hook having a pair of spaced legs each terminating in an enlarged portion forming a grommet-concealing member, one of said members having a socket opening therethrough, the other of said members having a stud bar projecting therefrom toward the other member and terminating in a resilient stud head adapted to separably engage the socket opening and thereby to hold said members in predetermined separable relation with the grommet of a curtain suspended on said stud bar, and means on the hook joining said legs and adapted to slidably suspend the hook on a curtain rod with said legs arranged below the rod.

7. In a curtain hook having a pair of relatively movable free ends, an enlarged member on each of said ends, one of the members having a socket opening therethrough and the other of said members being provided with a stud bar terminating in a resilient stud head adapted to separably engage the socket opening to separably secure the members together in predetermined fixed spaced relation.

8. A curtain hook comprising a pair of legs, a flexible portion integrally joining said legs and permitting limited relative separation of the legs, `one of said legs having a socket opening therethrough and the other of the legs having a cooperating stud bar terminating in a resilient head adapted to separably engage the socket opening to hold said legs separably in predetermined spaced relation.

9. A curtain hook comprising a connecting portion, a pair of legs extending from said portion,

- and a pair of cooperating snap fastener elements on said legs to hold the legs separably in predetermined relation, one of said elements being resilient.

10. In a curtain hook, a head, a pair of legs depending from the head, each of the legs terminating in a grommet-concealing disc, one of the discs being perforated and the other of the discs carrying a stud bar adapted to pass through a grommet and terminating in a resilient head adapted to separably engage the wall of the perforation of the perforated disc to hold the legs in predetermined relation with the grommet supported by the bar.

`11. A curtain hook having a leg and means for supporting a curtain comprising a stud bar carried by the leg and having a resilient stud adapted to pass through an aperture and separably engage the walls of an aperture in a curtain grommet or other article.

12. In a headed curtain hook, a pair of normally spaced legs depending from the head, means extending between said legs and adapted to pass through a grommet of a shower curtain to support the curtain and to hold the legs separably in predetermined relation.

13. In a shower curtain installation, a shower curtain provided with a grommet adjacent the upper edge thereof, a curtain hook having a pair of normally spaced legs, one of said legs having a socket perforation and the other having a stud bar terminating in a head adapted to separably engage the wall of the socket perforation to hold said legs together and to pass through and support the grommet, and means joining said legs and adapted to slide on a curtain rod.

14. In a curtain hook, a pair of normally spaced legs. one of said legs having a socket opening therein and the other of said legs having a stud bar projecting toward said one leg and provided with a stud separably engaging the wall of the socket opening, said stud bar having a shoulder limiting the passage of said bar into the opening.

JACOB Z. SILVERMAN. 

